2018 was a relatively great year for LGBT films. There was Love, Simon, and Call Me By Your Name, to name a few. Locally, we have Billie and Emma, and Rainbow’s Sunset, among others. Thankfully, this year seems equally reassuring. 2019 has just started, and we already see several titles which promise to tackle LGBT-themes in a progressive way. Here are just some we’re excited about, which are slated to have a cinematic release this year.
Rocketman
Elton John is one of the most celebrated musicians of our time. He is also known for being an LGBT icon. This film will take a deeper look at his life, from how his career progressed, to his relationship with lyricist Bernie Taupin. It will be interesting to see how Taron Edgerton will translate to the big screen the artist’s larger than life personality. Taron will be joined by the likes of Jamie Bell, Richard Madden and Bryce Dallas Howard. It’s set to be released on May 2019.
Benedetta
Benedetta is based on the book Immodest Acts by Judith Brown, about the true story of Benedetta Carlini. She was a Catholic nun in an Italian church during the 17th century. She remains one of the most controversial figures because of her disturbing visions, as well as her sexual relations with another nun. The French-language feature is directed by Dutch filmmaker Paul Verhoeven.
Colette
Kiera Knightley stars in this period piece which tells the story of queer literary icon Colette, the author behind the Claudine novels. It’s a significant narrative and production, composed of several members of the LGBT community, including queer director Wash Westmoreland.
Boy Erased
Another book-to-film adaptation, Boy Erased chronicles the heart-wrenching tale of a pastor’s gay son who had to choose between facing exile or going to a conversion camp. It features a stellar cast, including Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe, and Troye Sivan.
Sorry Angel
The French film which won the 2018 Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival tells the touching love story of a young student, Arthur, and a middle-aged Parisian writer, Jacques, who is afflicted with AIDS. Set in the ‘90s, the film by Christophe Honoré explores how the disease affected the society which had barely begun to understand it.
Vita and Virginia
Inspired by the 1993 play by Eileen Atkins, this feature film explores the romance between two outspoken feminists: socialite Vita Sackville-West, and literary legend Virginia Woolf, played by Gemma Arterton and Elizabeth Debicki, respectively. Directed by Chanya Button, the film is a revelation of how their unconventional affair inspired Woolf’s arguably most iconic novel, Orlando.
A Kid Like Jake
This poignant, drama movie is about parenthood and acceptance. It walks us through how a young couple learns to understand—and embrace—gender non-conformity through their four-year-old son. Claire Danes, Jim Parsons, Octavia Spencer, and Priyanka Chopra are among the film’s cast.
Art by Marian Hukom
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